I'm in initial stages to plan a Summer Open in NYC, similar to the one I ran in Boston last year. It will have a main event (tentatively Oxford Open, although this is extremely up in the air) and several side events (also extremely up in the air). As with last year, it will likely take place on both Saturday and Sunday.

I am lining up potential locations right now, but it would be very helpful for the site organizers if you could fill out this date poll if you'd like to attend. There are three suggested weekends, but if you'd like another weekend, please fill in the "Other" option, or agitate for your choice in this thread (essentially a x5 vote).

In terms of side events, I'd personally be very interested in, and like to agitate for:

Scattergories
RULFO
Golbez
Imaginary Landscapes

Assuming these are ready + available for mirrors/haven't been over-mirrored by the time late-July rolls around.

There'll be a follow-up poll for people to vote on main-event + side-events, as soon as NYU can confirm (likely) rooms + I get free time (so the soonest for me would be Sunday, but likely later as NYU emails their administration).

Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM

Sorry, thought I posted this--we can't confirm a date because of trouble getting rooms, but we're (read: NYU) currently solely focused on getting rooms the last weekend of July (27/28).

On this note, if you think you'd be an NYC-based institution that could be a good backup for hosting, please let me know. It's OK if there'd be hosting fees involved, as we'd probably need to have the same for NYU anyways.

Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM

Leaving this up for a few more days to give people time to figure out if they're going to play some of these events at NSC instead (note: you can edit your votes after the fact!), and also because we're still having trouble finding a location anyways.

Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM

I know a date can't really be nailed down until rooms, events, etc are decided, but at this point is there an estimate of when a firm date—if one is going to materialize at all—might be available? I'm looking at going out to the UIUC weekend, and it'd be nice to know if I should hold off because this event only needs another week or so to get off the ground or if we're gonna keep clunking and polling along here for another three months.

I know a date can't really be nailed down until rooms, events, etc are decided, but at this point is there an estimate of when a firm date—if one is going to materialize at all—might be available? I'm looking at going out to the UIUC weekend, and it'd be nice to know if I should hold off because this event only needs another week or so to get off the ground or if we're gonna keep clunking and polling along here for another three months.

I really hope the people at the relevant institutions don't take this as me putting this on blast (mainly because it's really the fault of the associated bureaucracies), but yeah, there's no estimates possible from me until the people I'm talking to about getting rooms can give me firm answers. That could be this week, or not until July.

Unfortunately, and for the same reason, I've recently become a little more pessimistic about the chance of finding any room at all, based on the current info I have. If I were Moody's, I'd have to give the prospect of this happening a "B-" (is that a thing? did I do that right?).

Again, if you're part of an NYC-based institution (and I know there are a lot of you!), and you think you could potentially help provide rooms for this event, pleeeeease let me know.

Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM

Unfortunately, after plans A, B, C, and D all fell through (due to a combination of bureaucracy and bad luck), NYU will be unable to host a summer open this year. With Raynor and Conor, I would encourage other NYC or NYC-adjacent institutions to see if they would potentially be able to host something in our stead, as there's obviously a great deal of interest.

(Keep in mind—all that's really needed are rooms to play games in! Organization, tournament direction, etc. will primarily be taken care of by Raynor and others, so inexperience with TDing or other concerns shouldn't hold you back.)

Mitch Baron
Yale Divinity School '22
New York University '20
Illinois Valley Central High School '16

For what it's worth, the "commandeer random Columbia rooms" strategy worked fine in summer 2017. If nothing else, we can try that (at our own risk)

Quiz Bowl isn't allowed to reserve rooms over the summer at Columbia's Hamilton Hall, but neither is any other club. If the official event management page doesn't list an event for a room, then it's officially first-come first-serve, and the building is pretty quiet over the summer. Cambridge Open in 2017 was able to use 4 rooms without a problem, but if I remember correctly, I think we could've used at least 10.

Hi all--just wanted to update that I should be able to definitely announce by end of week whether we will have rooms. It will most likely be at Columbia, and there will most likely be some element of caveat emptor, where we might arbitrarily lose the rooms during the event for no good reason, though I'd put the chances at low.

I should also be able to announce the side event scheduling then.

However, I can now confirm that the main event will almost definitely be NASAT, and META, Unanswered Question, and GOLBEZ will probably be at least some of the side events. Hopefully that helps with anyone who wants to make travel plans.

(You can PM me if a couple days makes a drastic difference, and you'd like a more detailed picture of the planning slate.)

Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM

However, I can now confirm that the main event will almost definitely be NASAT, and META, Unanswered Question, and GOLBEZ will probably be at least some of the side events. Hopefully that helps with anyone who wants to make travel plans.

I'd like to strongly advocate against using NASAT for this tournament, as I would be barred from playing due to having worked on the set itself (and I know there's a few other writers/editors who worked on NASAT who feel the same- at least two of whom will be traveling pretty far to attend this tourney). I could be wrong, but I don't believe this would be an issue with CamO/Oxford Open. Anyways I've been looking forward to playing this for a while now, so I'd really appreciate a different set being used for this tourney.

How close was the public vote on the main event set? Because I have a feeling that people voted pro-NASAT and anti-NASAT, with anti-NASAT people splitting the vote between Cambridge Open and Oxford Open.

I'd like to strongly advocate against using NASAT for this tournament, as I would be barred from playing due to having worked on the set itself (and I know there's a few other writers/editors who worked on NASAT who feel the same- at least two of whom will be traveling pretty far to attend this tourney). I could be wrong, but I don't believe this would be an issue with CamO/Oxford Open. Anyways I've been looking forward to playing this for a while now, so I'd really appreciate a different set being used for this tourney.

I'd like to second this. Using NASAT seems to create unnecessary problems while the British sets will both be Americanized to my knowledge and should be similar in difficulty. I also feel the single-choice option for the main event in the above poll allowed NASAT to win by splitting votes between the British sets, and I'd like to see how the votes would have shaken out if people were allowed to vote for multiple options.

How close was the public vote on the main event set? Because I have a feeling that people voted pro-NASAT and anti-NASAT, with anti-NASAT people splitting the vote between Cambridge Open and Oxford Open.

I did consider this, but NASAT won even when the votes for those sets were combined (albeit, by a much smaller margin).

Don't take this as me saying it's definitely NASAT, though; my reasoning for sticking with NASAT anyways was partially that a "split vote" still indicates that the pro-NASAT firmly wants to play NASAT and subsequently won that vote. I suspect, however, that the anti-NASAT faction is really anti-NASAT, whereas the pro-NASAT crowd doesn't care *too* much outside of some people who have already played OxO or CamO.

Anyways, I'll leave the poll open for another week; and note that it's editable after submission! If the anti-NASAT people get together and get everyone to agree on one event, and maybe convince some of the pro-NASAT people in here to switch their votes, there's a chance.

And if you haven't already left a comment in the form (yes, even if you directly messaged me), please indicate in the form if your playing is literally predicated on which event it is!

(I do have to go with what the votes tell me for now, though :/)

(And, people who are *really* pro-NASAT, I'm sorry, please don't take this as bias, I just want the most people possible to have fun >.<)

Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM

As a player, I'm personally agnostic between NASAT and Oxford Open, but would be strongly opposed to CamO - one, because I want to play it in LA, and two, because I don't want to play a truncated version of the set (as Raynor indicated would happen if we played that tournament).

I think using Oxford Open would be best and allow the most people to play. I'm sure there will be an online NASAT mirror for those interested in playing it, and there are always tons of mirrors of that tournament to attend anyways. In addition, I think it's a non-negligible gesture of recognition of the efforts of the British community to get better at writing tournaments - several Chicago team members have told me that OO was a strong set this year, and it'd be a shame if it got no big American mirrors.

As a player, I'm personally agnostic between NASAT and Oxford Open, but would be strongly opposed to CamO - one, because I want to play it in LA, and two, because I don't want to play a truncated version of the set (as Raynor indicated would happen if we played that tournament).

I think using Oxford Open would be best and allow the most people to play. I'm sure there will be an online NASAT mirror for those interested in playing it, and there are always tons of mirrors of that tournament to attend anyways. In addition, I think it's a non-negligible gesture of recognition of the efforts of the British community to get better at writing tournaments - several Chicago team members have told me that OO was a strong set this year, and it'd be a shame if it got no big American mirrors.

I’ve talked to several collegiate or high school players who cannot play a NASAT mirror, and we’ll all be voting for Oxford Open. I’d encourage others who want to make sure everyone who wants to play can play to do the same, rather than voting for CamO.

I agree with Will's point regarding not wanting to play a truncated set.

Just in case it's an important point, hopefully "truncated" here refers to potentially playing 20/24 given questions from the CamO packets. Whether we play NASAT, OxO, or CamO, we will definitely not play all the packets we are given, for time reasons.

Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM

My original vote was for OxO and I guess I will keep it that way, though I'm personally agnostic between OxO and NASAT.

If anyone else is in a similar situation (being agnostic between OxO (or even CamO) and NASAT), I'd highly encourage you to vote for OxO as Michael said above- you'd be helping those of us who can't play NASAT a ton.

I agree with Will's point regarding not wanting to play a truncated set.

Just in case it's an important point, hopefully "truncated" here refers to potentially playing 20/24 given questions from the CamO packets. Whether we play NASAT, OxO, or CamO, we will definitely not play all the packets we are given, for time reasons.

That is how I interpreted it. Would rather play full packets and not ~80% of the questions per packet.

Please give me some time to formally write up a new post with tournament details, but just so you'll pay attention to the important stuff in that, I can say that, yes, the people have spoken, and we'll run Oxford Open as the main event. (I hope anyone who has already played that set isn't too disappointed.) We will also almost definitely run the following slate of side events: CANONEXPANSION (Sat night), Age of Empires (Sat night), MUSES (Sun), META (Sun), Unanswered (Sun), GOLBEZ (Sun lunch). Exact order TBD.

[insert prequelmemes "i love democracy.jpeg"]

Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM

As an editor on this year's NASAT, I'm glad we decided on OxO. I just hope OxO is more properly Americanized unlike CamO from last year, which included rather odd questions like the death of Edward II and some obscure British geography questions. Of course, some oddball questions in a set is basically infinitely better than, uh, not being able to play the main event at all.

As an editor on this year's NASAT, I'm glad we decided on OxO. I just hope OxO is more properly Americanized unlike CamO from last year, which included rather odd questions like the death of Edward II and some obscure British geography questions. Of course, some oddball questions in a set is basically infinitely better than, uh, not being able to play the main event at all.

Well, in fairness to the CamO people, they never explicitly Americanized it, we used a half-approach last year where I just manually cut some questions. (So that's not on them.)

Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM